A/N: Oh my gosh, I love you guys for reviewing and everything! I feel so happy, hehe.

phantomphan1911: Thank you! I am not entirely fond of Raoul, but I think he deserves a break after so many people make him evil and kill him, hehe. But poor Phantom, he gets left alone, every time I watch the movie. He wins this time though. :)

Mimi90316: Thank you for the help! And thank you for the compliment:blush:

Ethalas Tuath'an: The RaoulMeg thing is basically implied, I may put some more stuff in there, but Erik and Christine are definately the main focus. I like Raoul hating and nice to Raoul stories, personally, so no worries. :)

ReganX: Oh, a new reviewer! You are an awesome reviewer, lol! I love the comments you left me on each chapter, they are so greatly appriciated, and I'm glad you are enjoying the story!

Thank you to everyone who helped me figure out the OtherCharacter / OtherWoman deal, I was so bugged and confusedby that! Enjoy...la la la..Chapter 9!

Chapter 9: Il Muto

Christine smoothed her hair in the mirror, just as she heard a sharp knock on her door.

"Yes?"

"Are you decent, Christine?"

"Yes, Madame, come in." Madame Giry walked in to Christine's room, closing the door behind her, and was surprised to see Christine awake, let alone dressed and ready. Christine smiled, a smile brighter than anyone had seen on the girl, the smile of a woman in love. Madame Giry felt bad to deliver the bad news, seeing the girl so happy, but she did so, reluctantly.

"My dear, I am aware that you had been hoping for the role of the Countess in the new production of Il Muto tonight." Christine's smile faded. "It seems that Carlotta has returned. Despite your triumph in Hannibal and the fact that your...friend, the Opera Ghost, has commanded the role be given to you, the new managers have cast La Carlotta instead. There is a promised disaster in the working, I should expect, from the Phantom." Christine was disappointed, but accepted the news gracefully.

"Thank you Madame, there is always next time." The older woman squeezed the girls hands lovingly before departing. Once she was gone, Christine sat on her bed, thinking. What had she done wrong? Why was Carlotta chosen instead? After a few minutes had passed, another knock was heard.

"Come in," Christine said absently, assuming it was Madame Giry again, for whatever reason. The door creaked open and the rotten smell of liquor and sweat drew her gaze upward to the vile man that was closing her door behind him. Her eyes grew wide. The filthy and obviously intoxicated man by the name of Joseph Bouquet walked toward her slowly, his eyes hungry. Christine stood defensively, innocent and frightened.

"Monsieur?" Christine stammered, her eyes full of fear. He had seen Christine a few times when he peered in on the ballet girls changing, he knew she was very beautiful. She had caught his attention though, when she starred in Hannibal, as she had most everyone's. This vile man, who continued to creep toward Christine was a disgusting drunk with awful thoughts, but when one is as heavily intoxicated as he was, thoughts very easily turn to actions - actions that this particular 16 year old was too young or innocent to be forced to experience.

"Miss Christine Daae." The girls tear filled eyes widened and she shuddered with fear.

"C-Can I help you?" Her voice was weak and tremulous and she continued to back away from him until her back was against the wall - she had no where to go.

"You're such a pretty girl, Christine..." he muttered, his words slurred. His hand slithered around her waist and she shuddered in fear and disgust, as his other hand covered her mouth, stifling her screams. She felt as if she might faint, but knew she couldn't. 'God knows what he could easily do if I were unconscious...' she thought, causing the fear in herself to rise. She struggled to free herself, but her body was to small and fragile against Bouquet's large one. He then nuzzled his face against her neck and held tightly to her waist and the tears flooded Christine's face. She whimpered and attempted stifled screams against his hand, but her efforts were obviously failing. She could feel his hot and disgusting breath against her neck and she was to the point now where she was attempting shuddering breaths through her tears, and she could barely breathe, and she was shaking violently. He threw her onto the bed, keeping his hand over her mouth tightly still, and she shut her eyes tightly, fearing the seemingly inevitable pain which was to come. He was hovering over her, and she felt a drop of dirty sweat land on her cheek.

In one swift movement, someone had lifted her from the bed and was now cradling her like a child in arms of strength and love. She opened her eyes.

"Oh, Erik, Erik!" she cried out, throwing her arms around his neck, holding to him tightly as she could, afraid to let go. He tightened his hold on Christine as his deep and penetrating, and now quite angry eyes pierced through to Joseph's blank ones, where he stood, eyes wide, jaw dropped.

"Get out!" he shouted in a voice so loud and furious that made Christine bury her face in his chest. The vile drunk backed slowly out, and then turned and ran down the hall, slamming the door behind him. Erik sat on Christine's bed, still cradling her.

"Erik, Erik, Erik," she mumbled hysterically into his chest, barely audible. She feared that somehow her beloved would be gone, and she would be in the arms of...No, she couldn't even think it. "Thank you, Erik, oh, thank you," she held to him tighter. "I don't even want to imagine what could have happened without you."

"You won't have to, mon ange. You are safe now, I promise." He kissed her forehead, and the feeling of his lips against her skin relaxed her. He looked in her eyes, filled with such vulnerability and fear, with tears streaking down her face, and to see her in such a way killed him.

"Will you sing for me, please?"

"Of course." He sang to her until her tears turned to slumber. Even in her sleep, her expression was distorted with such a look of anguish. He kissed each of her tear stained cheeks, and held her, waiting for her to awake.

"Erik, help me, my Erik!" Erik's heart jumped and his attention snapped to Christine as she called for him in her sleep.

"I'm here, I'm here," he whispered in her ear, and she opened her eyes, and they locked with Erik's. She threw her arms around his neck.

"Oh, Erik, I thought you had left me!" She pulled in close to him.

"Never..."

"No I meant," she pressed her cold hand to his unmasked cheek, and he put his atop hers. "I know you never would. I...I had a nightmare, though, that you did." He leaned down and pressed a small and gentle kiss on her lips, and she held to him a few more minutes before getting up. "I must go, I must get ready for tonight. I'm playing..." she paused, knowing he wouldn't be happy with the managers disobedience in regards to the casting. "Well, the pageboy."

"What?" He scoffed. "Ignorant fools. I told then to-"

"Erik, I'm frightened. What if he finds me? What if he tries to..." her voice trailed off. "I don't know what I would do."

"Christine, I will protect you, always. He will get what he deserves, I assure you."

The expression of fear and despair that was upon Christine's innocent face concerned Madame and little Giry, but their assumption was that she was disappointed due to the recent miscasting of the managers. Christine walked toward the stage, her thoughts on the wicked man who had forced himself upon her, and on the wonderful man who had saved her. Still, she feared that somehow Joseph Bouquet would find her, harm her. She also wondered what Erik had in store as punishment for him, Carlotta, and the managers. How did life get this complicated?

Halfway through the show, her beloved's voice echoed throughout the Opera Populaire.

"Did I not instruct that Box Five was to be kept empty?" This surprised Christine, for she had forgotten that he had demanded that she star, and that he have good seating. She had been absently playing the role she was assigned, her thoughts a thousand worlds away, and although Erik's tone was meant to instill fear, which it did, in many others, it comforted her. Meg was frightened though, thinking he was really a ghost.

"He's here, The Phantom of the Opera!"

"It's him..." Christine said unknowingly out loud.

"Your part is silent, little toad!" Christine looked at her in disbelief. Did this really mean that much to her? Christine continued playing the silent role absently, when a terrible sound was heard from Carlotta's soprano voice. CROAK. She sang a little more and again, CROAK. She ran off stage and the curtain dropped. Christine went to a secluded backstage area to gather her thoughts. This day was just too insane. How was this all happening so suddenly? 'I don't know what I would do without-' A hand firmly grabbed Christine's shoulder. Due to her thoughts, she automatically assumed that is was Erik, so she turned around.

The disgusting hot breath of Joseph Bouquet was felt on her face, and she smelt the scent of freshly consumed liquor, as well as the rotten old seeping through his skin, mixed with sweat and dirt. He pressed his body against hers and she cried out. Suddenly, he turned and began to run with all his might, followed by Erik, who had something in his hand, but he was going to fast for Christine to see.

Stunned by what had just happened, she was pulled onto the stage without warning to a clapping audience. Apparently, she was going to be playing the Countess. Madame Giry pulled Christine into the changing room to get dressed for the part.

Erik's blood boiled as he caught sight of the despicable man pressing his intoxicated body against Christine for the second, and surely the last time, and his heart fell as he heard Christine cry out in pain and sadness. He began to race toward Bouquet and the dirty man ran off, and he chased him. He ran unwisely up a ladder, above the stage, where a ballet was now in progress. He chased him around on a series of planks, and when Erik finally caught him on the same one, he shook it until Joseph fell, but not down. Erik pinned him down, and slipped the noose around his neck.

Christine burst out of the changing room, now constricted in a beautiful pink corset dress, when she heard terrified screams. What she saw shocked her. Joseph Bouquet hanging from a noose, and Erik standing above, holding the end of the rope. Her jaw hung open. She wasn't sure what to think. She knew that he deserved it, but could Erik really do that? His body dropped and the rope fell atop him, and Erik took off, and Christine didn't know where. She turned around, frantically searching for him, but the chaos around her didn't help any. She was on the verge of tears when she felt a hand slip over her mouth from behind.

"Christine, it's alright, it's me" He released his hand from her mouth, and she turned around surprised.

"Raoul!"

A/N: Wait, you aren't Erik! Anywho, sorry I had to do that. I felt bad. I wanted Erik to not be the bad guy, but still kill Bouquet, because he is a jerk. It seemed in character too so...yeah. Things get better, but they get worse too. Sorry. EC always though!